Apparatus eoe



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. J. SHINN. APPARATUS FOR DETECTING FRAUD IN BALLOT BOXES.

No. 30,503. Patented Oct. 23, 1860.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

M. J. SHINN. APPARATUS FOR DETECTING FRAUD IN BALLOT BOXES. No. 30,503.

Patented Oct. 23, 1860.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MILES J. SHINN, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA.

APPARATUS FOR DETECTING FRAUD IN BALLOT-BOXES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 30,503, dated October 23, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MILES J. SHINN, of the cit-y of Richmond, in thecounty of \Vayne, and State of Indiana, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Self-Registering Ballot-Boxes; and I hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and characters ofreference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to the method of registering the ballots, as theyare deposited in a locked box; and to a device for detecting any attemptto open said box in the absence of the parties empowered to examine andrecord the votes. The device for registering the votes, I distinguish bythe term registrar; and that for indicating any attempt to open the lockof ballot box, I distinguish by the term detector.

In order that those properly skilled, may be enabled to construct, anduse my invention, I proceed to describe the various points in detail, aswell as to explain the mode of operation of the separate devices.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1, is a side elevation of a ballotbox, having the side removed, so as to show the ma chinery forregistering the ballots. Fig. 2, is a plan of box, having the coverremoved, for the purpose of showing the machinery both of registrar anddetector. Fig. 3, is a front elevation of ballot-box showing dial-platesof detector, etc. Fig. 4, more clearly shows the connection of detectorwith the lock of ballot box.

First, in reference to the registrar, Figs. 1, and 2. In the lid orcover Z of the box, is a slit, or oblong aperture a, through which theballots are slipped, when being deposited in the box; but, close belowthe lid Z lies a slide U, which closes the slit- (0, and thus preventsthe ballots being slipped in, until it is slid forward clear of saidslit. (Otherwise, in this slide U, a slit or aperture corresponding tothat in lid Z, may be made so that when said slide is moved forward agiven distance, the two apertures may coincide, and thus permit theballots to pass into the box.) In order that this slide U, may be movedaway from the slit 0, when required, the following device is provided: Nis a rocking shaft, journaled in the sides A, A, of the box, and passingthrough one of said sides. To that end of shaft projecting through theside of box,

a handle or thumb-lever H, is keyed for the purpose of rocking the same.This shaft X, bears two short arms or levers (marked No. 11) to whichthe rods I, I are attached; the other ends of which rods are attached toslide U. Upon elevating the thumb-lever H, the shaft N, is rocked, andthe arms 11, 11, by means of the rods I, I, draw forward the slide U, soas to unstop the slit (1, before mentioned. After the ballot isdeposited, the helical spring V, draws back the slide to its formerposition. A draw pin M, passing through an aperture in lever H, andthrough the side A, of box, and being secured by a spring catch 8,inside of box, pre vents the slide U, being operated for theintroduction of ballots until it is withdrawn; and this cannot beeffected without opening or removing the lid Z.

R, is a large ratchet wheel having one hundred (100) teeth, and beingnumbered on its face in the manner of a dial to correspond with saidteeth. On the rocking shaft N is a short arm 7), over and above thosealready described, to which arm is attached a falling lever 1;, saidlever being bent at its free extremity, which extremity rests on teethof ratchet wheel R. Vhen the shaft N is rocked for the purpose ofpermitting a ballot to be deposited, the arm Z), pushes forward thelever in, the extremity of which, stopping against the shoulder ofratchet tooth, drives forward the wheel It, one degree, and thusregisters one. Spring catches L, L, now prevent the wheel from movingbackward, and the slide U, being drawn back by spring V, rocks the shaftN, into its first position: the lever 7c, being now drawn back, slidesover the incline of ratchet tooth, and drops into position for drivingforward the wheel 11, at the next ballot. Vhen the wheel R has made oneI'G'COllltlOl'l, a projecting pin, on disk (1 (which disk is keyed onshaft of ratchet wheel, and revolves with it) catching on the rung c, ofdial wheel 0, turns it forward one degree, and thus registers onehundred. .Vhen this dial wheel 0, which has 10 rungs, has made onerevolution, a projecting pin (1, catching on the rungs e, of dial wheelP, turns the same forward one degree, and thus registers one thousand.Stationary pointers or index fingers to each disk or dial, indicate atany time the combined or total number of ballots registered. By means ofa key 9, the

in reference to the detector, Figs. 2, 3,

and L. The detector consists of an ordinary piece of clockwork,comprising two, three, or more toothed wheels 13, gearing the one intopinions or trundles on the shafts of the other; and each wheel beingprovided with a pointer and index-dial M, J, S, as shown at G, Fig. 3. Amain-spring on the first wheel 4, giving motion to the whole, and theshaft or axle of the same springbearing wheel being formed into a keystaple, and placed opposite to a key hole in front of box as shown at 7for the convenience of winding up the apparatus.

F, is the lock which secures the lid of ballot box from being opened; T,is the key hole. To the bolt of the lock 9, a bent wire arm 2, isattached, Which when the bolt is shot out or locked, catches againstastop 1, on the axle or rim (either will do) of one of the clockworkwheels. By this means the detector when wound up is prevented fromrunning down. A lever E, pivoted at f, is likewise attached at one endto lower end of bolt of lock, g, and at its other end I is attached tothe long arm of a sheet-metal plate J, which is notched out for the keyhole of clockwork 6, 7. In the drawing (Fig. 4.) the bolt is shown shotout; that is to say the box is supposed to be locked. It is possible inthis condition of things to wind up the detector.

Let it here be understood that the number of teeth in each wheel is madeto vary greatly from that on the others; as for instance, the firstwheel may have 90 teeth; the second 7 9; and the third 134:; also, thatthe number of rungs in the trundle pinions on each axle shall also varyfrom each other, and shall be in no regular ratio to the number of teethon the wheel gearing therewith. For instance, the pinions in gear withthe wheel of 90 teeth might have 7 rungs; that gearing with wheel of 79teeth, may have 10 rungs; and that gearing with wheel of 134 teeth mayhave 9 rungs. By this arrangement, supposing the spring to be wound up,and the index attached to each wheel and axle to be set at zero on theirrespective dials; it will require an immense number of revolutions ofthe wheels before their indices would again all point at zero; as thedoctrine of progression and permutations will show; and as, in windingup the device, the wheels do not move backward (the spring beingattached to an independent cylinder on the axle of its wheel, which isso set as to move backward on winding up without afiecting its wheel;but in moving forward or unwinding, carrying it forward with it) itwould be impossible to retrace the course of the indices to arrive atthe starting point. Now suppose the ballot box to be locked, and left incharge of an oflicer; the detector is wound up, and each of the udges.record the readings on the several dials in front. If during theirabsence, any one possessed of a key should attempt to withdraw the bolt,or unlock the box, the least success depresses the arm 2, liberates thecatch 1, and the detector begins to run down; at the same time the leverE has raised up the plate J, and covered the key hole 7, of spring (ofdetector) and thus prevents their holding back the device by means of akey: thus the crime will be detected by the' judges when they return andcompare their notes with the altered state of the indices.

The advantages of my invention are increased security against fraudulentpractices at elections, and consequently, an increased guarantee toelectors that the suffrages of the majority will elect the runningcandidate. Its value is scarcely overestimable.

' Having fully described my invention, and the mode of its operation,and its advantages, I proceed to state what I claim, and what I desireto secure by Letters Patent:

1. The detector herein described, or any equivalent for the same,attached to a ballot box, to indicate and expose tampering with the lockor cover of the same.

2. The device described as a registrar for registering the number ofvotes polled; consist-ing of ratchet wheel R, index wheels 0, and P,slide U, rocking shaft N, with arms 11, 11, and b, and thumb lever H,together with lock-pin M, falling lever 76, stops L, L; all arrangedsubstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

MILES J. SHINN.

Witnesses:

D. P. HOLLOWAY, BENJ'. W. DAVIS.

